Breastplate Of Righteousness Series

TITLE: Dress For Success

"Breastplate of Righteousness"

INTRO: Amazing how some people have the ability to succeed, rags to riches,Americans love stories of people that go from rags to riches.Cinderella (mean stepmother, marries Prince at the end)Thomas Edison. Henry Ford, Mr. Tee, Loretta Lynn,Ross Peroe. 1930 grew up in Texas, very poor during the depression, studied hard, appointment to the Naval Academy, tour service, work with IBM (International Business Machines), such a. good salesman that they made him a manager (making more than managers).

He thought why not start my own company E.D.S. (Electronade Systems), computer software company turned into a mega corporation, Peroe ended up selling it to General Motors for 2 billion dollars (one of the wealthiest men in America).

Don’t agree with his politics, you have to admire coming from rags to riches.

Today look at how we go from rags to riches

TEXT: Ephesians 6:10, 13-14 (Pray)

I. Review: Theme, main point be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. How: Putting on clothes Lord provides

Why: So we can stand against our adversary

Who: Devil and his clan

When: Day of evil comes

6 pieces of armor - first. 3 [belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel shoes of peace] are in the past tense, meaning we already have these when we accept Christ.*

Paul, when writing this letter to church at Ephesus. writing from Rome, under house arrest. chained to a Roman soldier, as he is writing this letter he is illustrating each piece of armor, trying to help the church understand.

II. Breastplate of Righteousness - piece of metal running from the neck to the waist usually made of brass to protect the vital organs (heart. liver & major organs),

A. Righteousness - 6k language (integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling & acting).

1. Root word - being right, right with God.

2. Where does righteousness come from - own self-righteousness (being member of a church, tithing, teach Sunday School, being baptized, good deeds?) NO!

Isaiah 64:6B "And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a. leaf and like the wind our sins swept us away." -No authority to stand against our enemy the devil. That’s why so many of

us are defeated, because we are not standing in God’s authority!

B. Righteousness Paul speaking about - God’s righteousness - it’s being right with God.

1. When we come to Christ, Father gives us Jesus Christ righteousness (Breastplate)

Paul writes in II Cor. 5:21 "God made Him who had no sin to he sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

-Theologians call this the doctrine of imputed righteousness, our rags (sin, junk) and put them on Christ (past, present, future). *ALL sins, mt. just some sins!

2. Great exchange - My example, it driving brand mew 70 Cutlass Supreme, Air Force parking lot intersection - mashed into old steel car, totaled car (had nothing, learned to be careful.) Parents bought me another car.

-Great e. exchange (had nothing & got something I didn’t deserve)

-rags to riches doctrine

3. God sees us, He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ

C. How dos this help me in my Christian walk?

1. Read Romans 8:1 (One of the most liberating verses in the Bible)

-Many Christian have come to church condemned, discouraged. defeated and you believe that’s a normal Christian life because you have been living this way for so long that you think it’s normal.

-Wrong! Christ does not. want us to live a defeated Christian life. "No condemnation of those who are in Christ Jesus".

John 5:24 tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes

Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed overfrom death to life".

-- Moment believe in Jesus Christ, we pass from death to life

2. Attitude sometimes - Christ died for my sins. know I’m a Christian, I have to pay for my sins from now on (most Christians feel this way) Christ died past. present_. future sinsJudged as sinners at the cross (God had us in mind) He knew we needed a SaviorWhen we except this, we are no longer judged as a sinner, judged as a son or daughter.

3. Yes, there are consequences when we sin. Law consequences (reap what you sow), not God’s condemnation, it’s spiritual law at work but God does not condemn you as a son/daughter.

4. Judgement seat (Bema) - II Cor. 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad".

-This does not determine your destiny (Heaven/Hell)

-Rewarded for your faithfulness/service